


compromise

by someplacewarm



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Jason Todd is Robin, No proofreading we die like mne, ice cream is used as a bribe, jason gets the last laugh as he should bc he's a babie, this fic aka me forever living in post-crisis characterization, wonder woman PJs product placement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 04:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18958285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/someplacewarm/pseuds/someplacewarm
Summary: Bruce has a secret that he absolutely does not want Jason to know.Good thing Jason has Alfred and a master's degree in bribery.





	compromise

**Author's Note:**

> I was hoping to write some angst and I ended up writing Robin!Jason with these three again.

The soft velvety cloth of Jason's bowtie only made him more annoyed than he was before. He yanked at it uncomfortably, earning him a scorning look from Alfred, who was fussing over his suit. His eyes were like a Siamese cat's. Or a Persian’s — Jason could never tell the difference. They were disapproving, anyway and that annoyed Jason more than anything. Alfred was supposed to be on his side. 

 

“I won't go silently,” he warned. “This is unacceptable.” 

 

“Your intolerance to galas can be discussed at length much later, Master Jason,” Alfred said patiently. “However tonight, all we ask is your cooperation.” 

 

“I won't go.” Jason muttered but this time more half-hearted. Even he knew better than to disagree with Alfred. Alfred chuckled softly and ran a comb through Jason's hair, still slightly wet from his shower. The second Alfred let go of him, he ran his fingers through his hair and pushed the curls back upfront again. 

 

Bruce sighed, pinching his forehead together. When Jason first arrived at the Manor, he thought the man suffered from a serious case of stress induced migraines. Now he realized it was probably more Robin-induced than anything. Served him right for being a colossal pain in the ass. 

 

“It's just a gala, Jay,” Bruce explained, fussing with his own tie. “We'll be back before you know it.” 

 

“It's not just a gala,” Jason piped back up. “It's a congregation of capitalist, _classist_ assholes—” 

 

“Language.” Both Alfred and Bruce said sternly. 

 

“—who pis-annoy me more than anything else in this world.” Jason finished adamantly. He turned to Bruce and pointed a finger. “You know what they say about people like me. I hate them.” 

 

“I know,” Bruce said, gently, tapping Jason's cheek with the back of his index finger. Jason pretended to be disgusted as he inched away but he grabbed onto Bruce's wrist tightly anyway. If he was being forced to go, he was going to be as much of a menace as he possibly could. “I don't like what they say either but this is an important dinner and I'd like all the important people in my life to be there.” 

 

Jason simmered at that. He knew Bruce was probably just saying that to butter him but he indulged in the statement anyway. _Important,_ Bruce had called him. He accepted it with a frown, however, not wanting Bruce to know that his words were working. He was a con artist of the highest degree and he took his work seriously, thank you very much. If he worked a little harder, he knew Bruce would probably cave into giving him something he wanted in exchange for his cooperation. 

 

“If you like, we can come back early and have ice cream for dessert.” Bruce offered, quirking an eyebrow. There it was. Jason's shoulders perked despite himself. He had been put on a strictly monitored diet ever since he had arrived to the Manor in order to get him to full health and ideal strength. Ice cream was his weakness and it seemed Bruce was willing to use it if it meant averting a tantrum. 

 

Jason raised his own eyebrows and said, “Bribery won't get you anywhere, old man.” But it was half hearted. He was already convinced about going when Alfred had asked him to anyway; he was just being difficult to pull Bruce's legs. He wanted to push the limits to see how far Bruce's patience would go. 

 

“Let's call it a compromise instead.” Bruce said, leading him to the door. “I want to hear what you have to say about Mr. Hunting's view on Gotham's new socialist Mayor.” 

 

Jason grinned. Maybe tonight wouldn't be too bad. 

 

 

.

Bruce hadn't told Jason, obviously, but he too was quite unenthusiastic about the prospects of tonight's Gala. However Alfred had not so kindly reminded him that Bruce Wayne's activities were as important as the Batman's and it was pertinent that he was a participator in his own life. Hence they were here, mingling with the crowd. 

 

He glanced at Jason; for all the boy’s protests, he was seemingly quiet. Bruce had quickly figured that Jason’s threats were all verbal but that once he was here, around people, he was actually very shy. That was a relief. Both Dick and Jason in that sense hadn't been a nuisance when it came to keeping up with public appearances, though Dick had definitely been more agreeable. He was just about to ask Jason if he was alright when he heard a familiar, sticky sweet voice from behind him.

 

“Oh my god, Bee Gee!” 

 

Bruce felt a cold droop of embarrassment gush down his stomach. He had not anticipated that anyone from high school would have been on the guest list. That was his own mistake, considering Alfred had given it to him and he had brushed over the names without further consideration. His uncharacteristic lack of attention would lead to his ultimate downfall tonight. 

 

Margaret Smith walked over to him in her high heels and usual half drunk gait. A glass of champagne was clutched in her chalky white hand and she looked absolutely delighted. 

 

“Bee Gee?” Jason asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Bruce. 

 

“Oh hello,” she said in her high pitched voice looking down at Jason. Something about her demeanor made him automatically withdraw within himself and Bruce didn't blame him. She was not the most pleasant woman. “You must be Jason!” 

 

“Nice to meet you.” he muttered, hiding behind Bruce. Bruce smiled apologetically, though he too wished he could hide somewhere. He did not like what was going to come one bit. He needed a distraction. 

 

“Bruce! Remember that nickname?” Margaret asked. “It has been way too long.” He groaned internally. 

 

“What nickname?” Jason asked, smirking up at the grimace Bruce couldn't hide fast enough. Jason's utter lack of interest prior had dissipated and had now been replaced by curiosity.

 

“Margaret,” Bruce said fake cheerful, hoping the airy atmosphere of champagne would add to his mildly happy pretense. He ignored Jason’s anticipation for an answer and draped an arm around Margaret's shoulder. “It’s so good to see you. How have you been?”

 

“Fine, fine,” she said distractedly. “Just the usual nostalgia, you know,” she waved a hand around, before succumbing a hiccup.  
“Oh I still remember the Bee Gee incident like it was yesterday, Bruce, you really —”

 

Bruce laughed loudly —excessively loud even for him—causing Jason to look even more suspicious. Bruce dragged Margaret by the shoulder to where the champagne refills were, hoping he could distract both her and Jason from the painful ‘Bee Gee’ incident. That was something they need not revisit tonight. Or ever. 

 

He glanced at Jason from the corner of his eye. The boy still looked curious but now that Bruce had gone a considerable distance away from him, he sought out Alfred instead. Good. Crisis averted for now. 

 

Walking over to the tables, it was clear that Margaret had moved on from the topic and was rambling about something else Bruce couldn't care less about. He managed to lose her half way but something about Jason’s smirk from across the room told him it would be a lot harder to lose him on patrol tonight. 

 

Some losses were meant to be shoved in his face, Bruce supposed. This would be one of them. He would take it with utmost grace, he decided, even though he could picture Jason howling in laughter at the story. 

 

.

“So,” Jason said, from his position on top of the gargoyle he was standing on. They had left the party a couple of hours ago due to a convenient bank robbery down near Crime Alley. Now that they were finished, it was clear Jason wanted to solve a different kind of mystery. Commissioner Jim Gordon had just left the building and it was almost time for Batman and Robin to do the same. The robbers had just been apprehended and it would almost be time to celebrate if it wasn't for one nosy Jason Todd. “What was Margaret Smith talkin’ about?” 

 

“Hmm?” Bruce pretended, like he wasn't all too sure what Jason was implying. 

 

“Come on Bruce,” Jason snapped. “Bee Gee. What's that mean?” 

 

Bruce cleared his throat. “Code names, Robin,” he said matter-of-factly. “Focus on patrol. We can talk other things later.” 

 

“Patrol is over,” Jason said, grinning. “We're literally about to head home.” 

 

“Robin.” 

 

“Batman,” Jason said, imitating him, though his voice couldn't quite reach the same level as Bruce's growl. “Come on, tell me. Why'd they give you that nickname?” Silence. Sometimes it was best to let Robin talk himself to exhaustion. 

 

“You owe me, remember? I came to your stupid gala so now you have to tell me. It's a compromise.” 

 

Bruce groaned. He hated how everything he taught these boys was ultimately used against him. 

 

“It's a joke from high school.” Bruce said sullenly.

 

“And?” Jason prodded. 

 

“And that's the end of our compromise if you still want to have ice cream later tonight,” Bruce said, walking towards the Batmobile. “Come on.” 

 

“You're so annoying.” Jason grunted, trying to keep up with him. “And stupid.” 

 

“I try,” Bruce said plainly. “Seatbelt on.” 

 

-

Alfred Pennyworth would much rather have had the young teenager sitting beside him gone to bed half an hour ago but Master Bruce had taken a certain parenting shortcut, leading to Jason sitting on the floor of the kitchen eating a bowl of ice cream. In his Wonder Woman pajamas that he had specifically demanded Bruce to buy him after Bruce had said no to the Green Lantern ones. Ice cream had somehow managed to stain the red fabric of the pants near his knee. 

 

The ice cream in question was long gone, of course. No, Jason was eagerly licking the remnants of Cookie ‘N Cream Delight from the bowl with a great gusto. Alfred wished he could say this was better than Richard Grayson asking for cereal for dinner but the verdict was uncertain.

 

“Say, Alfred,” he said, distractedly. “If I asked you a question, would you tell me the truth?” 

 

“It depends on the question, Master Jason.” Alfred said, handing a napkin to Jason to wipe off the dribble of melting ice cream down his chin. 

 

“What's Bee Gee?” 

 

Alfred frowned. The name was familiar, yet pushed far back into his memory that it was hard to recall.

 

“Bruce said it was a nickname,” Jason supplied eagerly. “From high school.”

 

Now, with this addition, it all came back to Alfred -- he could almost feel the metaphorical light bulb in his head going off. The memory became clearer in his head as he thought about it, as though it was being unwrapped. 

 

“Ah.” he said lightly. “That's a rather.. interesting story.” 

 

“Tell me _please _.” Jason begged. “Bruce wouldn't. He just stormed off into his room like a loser.”__

__

__Alfred gave him a look but settled into a chair anyway. He supposed Bruce would not appreciate this story being told but if experience had taught him anything, it was that Jason was as persistent as ever. It would be much better to simply face the music._ _

__

__“When Master Bruce was in his freshman year of high school, he was simply infatuated with a girl who's name —if I recall correctly —was Becky Muldoon.”_ _

__

__Yes, Becky Muldoon indeed. That was a name that Master Bruce had refused to take off their blacklist ever since the very first gala they had held._ _

__

__“Ew, I can't imagine what high school Bruce would look like,” Jason said. “I bet he was a total prig.”_ _

__

__“He was quite the shy schoolboy, on the contrary,” Alfred explained. “Mainly kept to himself. Until Becky Muldoon of course.”_ _

__

__“What happened?”_ _

__

__“Well, Master Bruce had written a particularly specific love song addressed to Miss Muldoon,” Alfred said. “which was picked up by the English teacher and read to the whole class, mistaken for a poetry assignment.”_ _

__

__Jason sighed. _“Bruce.”__ _

__

__“I believe the song was meant to be sung to the tune of ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ by the Bee Gees,” Alfred said sadly, remembering how embarrassed Bruce had been that day. “Hence the nickname.”_ _

__

__“That sucks,” Jason said, not looking too bothered now that he knew the full story. “Though I have to say, it was kind of an anticlimactic ending.”_ _

__

__“It devastated the boy for years,” Alfred said. “His peers were not the most kind or understanding.”_ _

__

__“Of course they weren't, they were teenagers,” Jason scoffed. “Kids love name calling. This isn't even half as bad as the stuff kids call _me_ at school.” _ _

__

__“They've been bullying you?”_ _

__

__Alfred had been too absorbed in observing the boy on the floor to realize that Bruce had come back downstairs. He too was in his pajamas and his arms were crossed disapprovingly._ _

__

__“Sheesh, why you gotta say it like that?” Jason scowled up at him. “They don't _bully_ me, they call me a square when they think I'm not listening because _they're_ too busy staring at Ms. Martinson's C's when they should be staring at the C's on their quizzes.” _ _

__

__“Master Jason!”_ _

__

__Jason grinned, “Sorry Alfred,” he said, looking absolutely unapologetic._ _

__

__“Why didn't you tell us this before?” Bruce demanded, sounding almost paranoid._ _

__

__“Because I don't care,” Jason replied. He sounded genuinely indifferent, like the matter of schoolboy taunting was hardly something he paid attention to. “They don't really do anything else, do they? Just call me names. Which is fine.” He swiped a finger throughout the expanse of the bowl and shoved his finger into his mouth. Alfred cringed. “I'm not there to be liked, I'm there to learn.”_ _

__

__Jason didn't sound defensive or guarded like he usually did when he pretended things were fine. No, he seemed actually fine. This was a surprisingly mature take on the matter. While Alfred knew that trivial things in school such as crushes and cliques didn't interest Jason one bit, he wondered sadly if it was emotionally healthy for him to be this indifferent to other people of his age. While Dick too was mostly impassive to his peers, he did try to meet the other boys’ social standards and played with his own set of groups after school._ _

__

__Jason might have been childish in some ways, yet he was mature beyond his years in others. This always amused Alfred._ _

__

__“Are you sure?” Bruce asked and Alfred noted the rough tone in his voice. While they both knew Jason could handle simple things like taunting from peers, the protectiveness was abundant nonetheless._ _

__

__“Sure,” Jason said simply, setting down the bowl. “And you shouldn't care either, Bruce.” He got up to the sink, still indifferent, like they were talking about the weather. “You go out at night and beat up bad guys to keep the city safe. You don't care what the papers call you. So why should you give a flying fudge what some old rocker like Margaret Smith's got to say? You're doing more for this community than her third husband ever did in his one year term as mayor.”_ _

__

__“Jay.” Bruce interjected, though Alfred didn't miss the look of surprise and on his face. Alfred supposed Bruce thought Jason would make fun of him. While Jason did certainly love to pull his father’s legs, Alfred knew that he did not tolerate anyone else doing the same. The boy was as defensive of Bruce, as a son was of his father._ _

__However now that Jason had mentioned it, it seemed as though Bruce too was wondering why something trivial from so long ago was still a matter of embarrassment. “I — thank you.”_ _

__

__“Don't get too used to it,” Jason grinned. “Bee Gee.”_ _

__

__“Hnn.” It was not surprising that Jason had the impulse to call Bruce by the nickname, even though he himself found it stupid. Bruce clasped his shoulder. “I will pay you good money to never call me that again.”_ _

__

__“Pay me in ice cream and dessert and we can shake on it.” Jason offered._ _

__

__Alfred shook his head. Sometimes the two were beyond reason._ _

__

__“Bribery is a bad habit, Jason.” Bruce clipped, grudgingly, realizing he had dug this hole too far and that he was now at Jason's mercy._ _

__

__“Let's call it a compromise instead.” Jason replied smugly._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this! :)


End file.
